Why in the News?

Delhi has been listed among the bottom five cities in terms of fund utilisation under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). With 68% of its funds unutilised, Delhi's performance in combating air pollution has been lacklustre. Other National Capital Region (NCR) cities like Faridabad, Noida, and Ghaziabad have also reported poor fund usage. The programme’s goal to reduce particulate matter pollution (PM10) by 40% by 2025-26 faces significant challenges, including under-utilisation of allocated funds, delays in pollution source studies, and inconsistent progress in meeting air quality targets.

What is the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)?

• Launch Date: January 2019.
• Objective: To cut PM10 levels by 40% by 2025-26 or meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
• Target Cities: Non-Attainment Cities (NACs) — those failing to meet national air quality standards from 2011 to 2015.